University of
Colorado Denver
Dept. of Theater,
Film and Video
Production
CRN
FILM 2150-001 Film and Video Post Production II
Spring 2008
10912
Meeting
Day(s)
Tu/Th
Meeting Time
Professor:
David Liban
(303) 352-3868
david.liban@cudenver.edu Site
Building
11:30 – 1:30
Auraria
CU Denver
Campus
Bldg
Office Hours:
Tues/Thus @ Auraria campus: Admin Bldg 210C
2:00 – 4:30
Room
815C
Course Syllabus
Film and Video Post-Production II -- FILM 2150-001
Prereq: FILM 1050 and 1640 or permission of instructor; co-req.: FILM 2000
Course Description:
Students will edit the projects filmed as per assignment in FILM 2000. Cutting for
narrative and storytelling are stressed. Importation of sound and visual effects files are
covered. Students use Avid non-linear digital editing software, Adobe After Effects and
Photoshop to successfully finish the assignments. The goal is for students to uncover the
building blocks, personal decisions, and practices that make up the craft of editing and postproduction. Rhythm, pace, structure, and general editing conventions will be considered.
Cutting for narrative, both fiction and non-fiction storytelling are stressed. The course
will be both practical and theoretical. Each member of the class will gain experience editing
and learning the concepts, procedures, problems, and challenges presented in this art
form.
Successful students will have shown through in-class exercises and specific course
assignments the ability to pursue and retain knowledge, evaluate the significance of the
knowledge, synthesize ideas from multiple sources, and apply what is learned to work and
life situations.
“Because you know the software, does not make you an editor.” Learning how to
recognize good editing and creating a seamless narrative is only achieved through practice,
analysis, awareness, and exhibition. The goal is to train students to be artisans and not
simply button-pushers.
Method of Instruction:
There will be both lecture and demonstrations, and you will also have time to edit
during class with the professor present. You will be working with the raw footage that you
will be shooting concurrently in Production 2. Be prepared to spend many hours outside of
class editing your projects.
I will be using the CUonline service, ‘Blackboard’ for communication, test taking, and
distribution of information. Failure to participate in the online component of the course will
result in failure. You will not be able to complete the course if you do not sign on to
Blackboard. The website is http://blackboard.cuonline.edu.
Course Objectives:
 To provide students with a solid foundation of video editing,
 To learn skills and concepts to better communicate ideas and messages
 To become familiar with Avid non-linear editing software.
 To understand other multimedia applications and how they are used in
conjunction with editing software.
Required Text:
 Voice & Vision: A Creative Approach to Narrative Film and DV Production by Mick
Hurbis-Cherrier. Focal Press.
 In the Blink of an Eye: A Perspective on Film Editing by Walter Murch
 On Directing Film by David Mamet
Method of Evaluation:
Throughout the course you will be given editing assignments, written assignments,
and quizzes. Your grade will be determined as follows.






Editing assignments:
Quizzes
Midterm and Final Exam
Attendance
Class participation
Final Editing project
35 %
10%
10%
10%
5%
30%
Quizzes may be given without notice and will be based on the readings and class
discussions.
Not everyone is going to get an ‘A’ in the course. Simply by doing the minimum work
and attending each class is ‘C’ work. ‘C’ equals an average grade; ‘B’ shows you’ve gone
beyond the minimum, and an ‘A’ shows that you’ve gone far beyond the course
expectations.
*I do use a plus/minus system in grading
Grading Scale:
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
94--100
90--93
88--89
83--87
80--82
78--79
73--77
70--72
68--69
63--67
60--62
59 and below
Use this scale to track your progress and calculate your grades for each category as
you complete the different tasks for the course.
Listed next to each grade is a brief explanation of the skills and competencies each
student is expected to achieve:
A
94--100--Outstanding grasp of the material, excellent attention to
detail and specifics in both discussion and writing,
excellent written work, 100% attendance, all assignments
completed on time, and complete and a thorough
understanding of the subject matter.
A-
90--93--Excellent grasp of the material, excellent attention to detail
and specifics in both discussion and writing, excellent
written work, 100% attendance, and complete and
thorough understanding of the subject matter.
B+
88--89--Well above average grasp of the material, excellent
attention to detail and specifics in both discussion and
writing, very good written work, 100% attendance, all
assignments completed on time, and a thorough
understanding of the subject matter.
B
83--87--Above average grasp of the material, very good attention
to detail and specifics in both discussion and writing, very
good written work, 100% attendance, all assignments
completed on time, and a solid understanding of the subject
matter.
B-
80--82--Slightly above average grasp of the material, good
attention to detail and specifics in both discussion and
writing, good written work, 100% attendance, almost all
assignments completed on time, and a solid understanding
of the subject matter.
C+
78--79--Average grasp of the material, above average attention to
detail and specifics in both discussion and writing, above
average written work, less than 100% attendance, almost all
assignments completed on time, and a working knowledge
of the subject matter.
C
73--77--Average grasp of the material, average attention to detail
and specifics in both discussion and writing, average
written work, less than 100% attendance, most assignments
completed on time, and a working knowledge of the subject
matter.
C-
70--72--Below average grasp of the material, below average
attention to detail and specifics in both discussion and
writing, average written work, less than 100% attendance,
most assignments completed on time, and a working
knowledge of the subject matter.
D+
68--69-- Below average grasp of the material, less than
adequate attention to detail and specifics in both discussion
and writing, below average written work, less than 100%
attendance, assignments rarely completed on time, and a
lack of understanding of the subject matter.
D-
60--62--Little grasp of the material, inadequate attention to detail
and specifics in both discussion and writing, inadequate
written work, serious lack of attendance, frequent late or
missing assignment and projects, poor writing skills, and
lack of understanding of the subject matter.
F
59--below--No discernable grasp of the material, no attention to
detail and specifics in both discussion and writing,
inadequate written work, serious lack of attendance, late or
missing assignment and projects, poor writing skills, and
lack of understanding of the subject matter.
Editing Assignments:
There will be 4 projects through the semester.  Campus Story
 Subvertisement
 Lost Art
 3 – 7 minute story
Due Dates and Assignments:
In the world of Film, Television and Video Production, missed deadlines are unacceptable
and often grounds for failure. Therefore there will be penalties for missed tests and late
work. For each day an assignment is late you will lose a letter grade. Missed tests may not
be retaken without a doctor’s note or some verifiable calamity. All tests will be given via
Blackboard and you’ll have a window of time in which to take this test.
- No work will be accepted after the course has ended.
- Plagiarism and cheating will not be tolerated and can be cause for failure for the
course.
Technology Requirements:
Each person is required to have his or her own firewire hard drive. This is an external
device that you attach to the computer via Firewire. When purchasing this drive, you must
be sure you are buying a Firewire Drive with 7200 RPM’s (or better) and NOT simply a USB
drive.
This will make your projects easily accessible from any workstation and make it possible for
you to save your work on two systems. A firewire drive can cost from $95 to $250
depending on the storage size and brand. I recommend at least 160 Gigabits. Additionally,
you’ll need a flash drive. Also you will need to bring a set of headphones to class. You can
use earbuds, but headphones that cover your ears will be better.
All of these items can and should be reused throughout your college career, so this
purchase is not just for this class.
Conduct
Please turn off cell phones before class. Ringing cell phones can be highly disruptive. Turn
them off, not just to buzz. Also, texting no longer will be tolerated. It too is disruptive and
annoying and in some cases a great distraction to the class and the student doing the
texting.
Note:
Please be aware that at times during class we may be viewing some material that has been
rated R by the MPAA and will have some sexual scenes, graphic violence, and strong
language. If this will cause you to be offended, please see me during the first week of the
class so we can find a suitable alternative.
Schedule of class meetings and assignments:
**Be aware that this schedule is
subject to change. Where you see blank sections in the table below there will be either
lectures based on the readings and/or class editing time.
Calendar
January 22
January 24
January 29
January 31
Class introduction and
expectations
Post Production Overview
and Work Flow
Chapter 20 Principles and Process of
Digital Editing
February 5
February 7
February 12
February 14
February 19
February 21
February 26
Chapter 21:
The Art and Technique of
Editing
Project 1 due (campus
story)
Sound Design in Film
Cutting Sound and Working
with Multiple Tracks
Finishing, Mastering and
Distribution
February 28
March 4
March 6
March 11
March 13
March 18
March 20
March 25
March 27
April 1
April 3
April 8
April 10
April 15
Reading Assignments
Chapter 19 -
Chapter 22
Chapter 23:
Chapter 24:
Murch- Intro &
pages 1 -22
Project 2 due
Subvertisement
Mid-term
Murch 23 - 56
Murch 57 - 72
Project 3 rough cut due
Spring Break
Spring Break
Murch 75 - 114
Production 3 due
Final Project – Rough Cuts
Mamet 56 - 67
due.
April
April
April
April
17
22
24
29
May 1
May 6
Final Project due
Mamet 67 - 101
Mamet 103 - 107
Must submit to two festivals or
distribution outlets.
May 8
Final exam week May 12 – 16
CAM SYLLABUS ADDENDUM
Important Dates for Spring 2008
Students are responsible for knowing all academic dates for each semester they are enrolled. Please see
the Registrar’s website (www.cudenver.edu/registrar) for the full academic calendar. The calendar
information below applies to College of Arts & Media (CAM) majors. Non-CAM majors should consult
their advising offices.
January 21
Martin Luther King Day holiday: No classes, campus open.
January 27
Last day to ADD a course on-line that has space available.
January 28
Waitlists dropped. Last day to DROP a course without a drop charge of $100
January 29
First day to add a course by obtaining the faculty signature on a Schedule
Adjustment Form (must submit form to the Service Center in NC 1003 within 5
days of signature date)
January 29
Courses can be dropped using S.M.A.R.T, $100 fee applies to each course that is
dropped
February 6 by 5pm
Census Date (all paperwork must be turned in to Service Center (NC 1003) by
5pm, with all required signatures):

Last day to request No Credit or Pass/Fail without a Dean’s/Advising Office
signature.

Last day to DROP a course on-line and receive a tuition adjustment (DROP
FEES APPLY). After this date, you must submit a “Late Drop Petition
Form” and a “Schedule Adjustment Form” signed by the faculty for
each course to be dropped to the CAM Dean’s/Advising office (ARTS
177). Petitioning does not guarantee that the late drop will be approved.
Even if your petition is approved, you will not automatically receive a tuition
adjustment and the course will appear on your transcript.

Last day to ADD a course. If the class does not appear, on Feb 6, as
“enrolled” on your schedule, you are not registered for the class. (After
this date, you must petition the CAM Dean’s/Advising Office (ARTS
177) to add a class by using the “Schedule Adjustment Form” and CAM
“Late Add Petition Form.” If approved, YOU will have to pay the full
tuition; College Opportunity Fund does not apply. Late approvals to add
a class are rarely approved.)

Last day to submit INTENT TO GRADUATE. Submit “Intent to
Graduate” form online at http://www.cudenver.edu > Registrar/SMART, and
select “Graduation Information” on the left side of the page. (Late forms will
not be accepted. A student who fails to submit his/her “Intent to Graduate
form” by February 6, 2008 may apply to graduate for Summer or Fall 2008.)
March 24-30
Spring Break: No classes, campus open.
April 7
See information above concerning the February 6 CAM deadline. The Academic
Calendar “last day to drop” of April 7 does not apply to CAM majors.
May 12-17
Finals Week
May 17
Commencement
May 26
Grades available on S.M.A.R.T.
If the class does not appear as “enrolled” on your schedule,
you are not registered for this course. It is your responsibility
to verify that you are registered for the classes you are taking.
This includes getting all signatures needed on all of
the required forms, as well as turning the forms into
the Student Service Center in NC 1003 by the due date.
General Information
 There will be a DROP CHARGE of $100 for all classes dropped between January 29th and
February 6th (Census Date). There are NO EXCEPTIONS!! Please plan your schedule
accordingly.
 All students are responsible for keeping all contact information up to date with the University.
University policy is that the University-assigned email is the required form of contact. If you do
not check your school email, you will be missing important information from the College. If you
forward University email to an outside provider, you do so at your own risk.
 There is no longer a “Quiet Week.” Classes are required to meet (and new information can be
presented) during the week before Finals Week.
 In order to fulfill CCHE contact hour requirements, classes must also meet during finals week,
whether or not a final exam is being given.
 CAM Scholarships are awarded by academic year. The application process occurs during the
Spring Semester.
Student Code of Conduct
 As a University of Colorado Denver student (or taking a UC Denver class), you are expected to
abide by the University of Colorado Denver Student Code of Conduct.
 The following is a link for the University of Colorado Denver Student Code of Conduct:
http://carbon.cudenver.edu/public/studlife/01pages/Codeofconduct.html
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
 FERPA was created to protect the privacy rights of the students.
 Due to the privacy restrictions, you will need to refer to your syllabus for each class for specific
information regarding the collection and the return of student work.
 For more information on FERPA please go to:
http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html
IW/IF Policy
Incomplete information, request forms, and instructions are available at www.cudenver.edu/cam/advising
under “forms.” In order to receive an IF or IW the following five items must have been completed and
approved at all levels:
 A student must have completed at least 75% of the course with a passing grade and there must be
compelling, extraordinary, verifiable circumstances beyond the student’s control which made the
completion of the course impossible.
 Students are responsible for requesting and processing the request for the IW/IF. Contracts, with
all required signatures, must be received in AR 177 by 5:00 pm on the last day of regular classes
(the Friday before finals week).
 A student must submit a copy of the syllabus and verification of reason for request (e.g. doctor’s
note).
 The form must be signed by faculty and have attached documents before being submitted to the
Dean’s/Advising Office.
 Paperwork must be processed and approved by the Dean’s/Advising Office before the first day of
Finals Week.
 A student has one academic year to complete the work as specified on IF/IW Form.
Disability Services Information
 To ensure disability-related concerns are properly addressed, students with disabilities who
require assistance to participate in this class are expected to contact your instructor as soon as
possible. For further information regarding disability-related accommodations, please contact the
Office of Disability Resources and Services, at 303.556.3450 or in NC 2514.
Religious Holiday Accommodations
 Faculty in the University of Colorado system have a legal and moral obligation to provide
reasonable accommodation to students who must be absent because of religious holidays. As
with any anticipated absence from class, students need to inform faculty members at the
beginning of the semester regarding any known absences.